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NY Newsday report: Knicks have no shot, Raptors still a possibility

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by NJRocket, Jul 25, 2001.

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  1. NJRocket

    NJRocket Member

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    Caught this is NY Newsday this AM...sorry for the "copy and paste" job but Im a newbie and I don't know how to link it...


    Knicks Are Off Center

    Olajuwon likely to stay in Houston or head to Toronto


    by Greg Logan
    Staff Writer

    Knicks general manager Scott Layden reportedly was scheduled to meet in Houston with Rockets free agent Hakeem Olajuwon yesterday, but two NBA executives confirmed that Layden spent the day in New York and never met with the center who prevented the Knicks from winning the 1994 league title.
    Layden was unavailable for comment on whether the Knicks plan to continue their seemingly futile pursuit of Olajuwon. Houston general manager Carroll Dawson said the Knicks, Indiana and Toronto all have contacted him about a possible sign-and-trade deal.

    But the Rockets would like to retain their 38-year-old franchise player, who surprised them by deciding not to retire after his 16th season. Even if the Rockets agree to trade him, the Knicks almost assuredly don't have the goods to do the kind of deal Houston would want.

    "First of all, we don't want to see him in another uniform," Dawson said of Olajuwon. "We need him. There aren't many centers in this league."

    Dawson said the Rockets can offer Olajuwon only a two-year deal worth $8 million to $8.5 million. They have space under the salary cap but need it to sign their own free-agent forwards Shandon Anderson and Maurice Taylor.

    Olajuwon made $16 million last season, but he's unlikely to get that kind of money anywhere in the NBA. Cleveland coach John Lucas said he would like to sign Olajuwon, but the Cavaliers have minimal cap space. Indiana is in the same boat as the Knicks in terms of being over the cap and needing to send players back to the Rockets.

    If Olajuwon leaves, it most likely would be for Toronto. The Raptors can offer a little more than the $4.5-million, mid-level salary-cap exception because they have a $5-million trade exception as a result of their recent deal sending Charles Oakley to Chicago, which was under the cap and couldn't send back contracts of equal value. If Olajuwon asked for a trade to the Raptors, the Rockets would get the trade exception and draft picks in return and would not have to take on high-salaried players.

    "That would be the cleanest way to do it because we wouldn't have to take anything back," Dawson said of a possible Toronto deal. "But I'm not sure would take a sign-and-trade. I've spent time trying to keep him here. If he leaves, it's because we couldn't find enough money, and he got a better opportunity.”






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    I'm off like a prom dress!!!
     
    #1 NJRocket, Jul 25, 2001
  2. Flutie

    Flutie Member

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    So it's about the money, I guess. Man, how can Hakeem leave for like a million bucks? So Houston doesn't want to take on salary, right? It looks like a sign and trade with Toronto will get him the most money AND keep Houston from taking on salary. Toronto has it's 1st round pick and a loterry protected 1st round pick from Seattle. Toronto will probably want to keep the Seattle pick because if Toronto gets Dream, they will probably win the east, making their pick basically a 2nd rounder. The Seattle pick could land you something in the low teens depending on how Seattle finishes, which could be 8th in the west.



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    #2 Flutie, Jul 25, 2001
  3. NJRocket

    NJRocket Member

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    It always is and always will be about one thing and one thing only...DEAD PRESIDENTS!

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    I'm off like a prom dress!!!
     
    #3 NJRocket, Jul 25, 2001
  4. SamCassell

    SamCassell Member

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    sorry for the "copy and paste" job but Im a newbie and I don't know how to link it...

    If you just type the url into your message (or copy it from the address bar), it will automatically turn into a link after you post the message.

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    I'm so amazingly cool you could keep a side of meat in me for a month. I am so hip that I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.
     
    #4 SamCassell, Jul 25, 2001
  5. NJRocket

    NJRocket Member

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    Gotcha...thank you Sammy

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    #5 NJRocket, Jul 25, 2001
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